Pneumatic suspension means.



PATENTED OGT. 8

J. H. CLARK -APPLIoATIoN FILED un 1a. 190e.

UNITEDy STATES PATENT GFFICE,

JAMES H. CLAARK), OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To FRANKM. THOMPSON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. e, 1907;

Application illed May 18,1906. Berial No. 817,489.

provements in pneumatic suspension means more particularly adapted foruse in supporting automobilev` 'bodies upon their running gear or foruse on so called springy frame bicycles to take the spring buffers nowin common use.

Primarily, this invention has for its object to proplace of the vide asuspension means of a very simple and effective construction which willreadily and effectively serve its intended purposes and will serve toabsorball vibration and thus insure comfort to theoccupant of thevehicle as well as enabling the use of solid and cushion tiresonautomobiles in place of the pneumatic tires now in common use. v

Generically, my invention consists of t'elescoping l cylinders, apiston, an auxiliary reservoir, means for obtaining lubrication, avacuum valve a valve for the admission of compressed air, and meanswhereby the desired pressure can be maintained without leakage. Air isadmitted by a valve to said cylinder and reservoir and the pressure ismaintained by a rubbertube connected to the end of `the piston andextending through the length of the cylinder, being clamped at' bothends. This tube on account of its internal pressure is supported by acasing composed of an expansible fabric lined on its inner surface withrubber to ur- SFg. 9, is an enlarged detailviewof a part oi my positionof theparts when no load is on them. Fig.

3, is a similar view showing the position of the parts when thecylinders are partly telescoped. Figs. 4,A 5, 6 & 7, are respectivelycross sections on the respective lines 4 4, 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7 of Fig. 2.Fig. 8, is an enlarged detail section on the linef8--8 of Fig. 2.

' apparatus.

Referring now to the accompanying' `drawings in which like letters andnumerals of reference indicate.

like parts in all of the figures, 1designates theouter cylinder, withwhich the inner or piston cylinder 1b is formed, the wallslof the twocylinders Ybein'ghspaced a suitable distance apart toleave a chamberbetween them. i

Within the chamber .between the outer and inner cylinders, theintermediate telescopingcylinder 20 operates. The cylinder 2O has'its-open end externally screw threaded at 20 to receive a collar or guidering 21 which screws thereon and is held in place by a sc t screw 21";The collar 21 has annular recesses 21-21b to receive the packing ring 24and' the absorbent wick packing 23 respectively. The

ywick packing 23 serves to lubricate the inner wall of the chamber landreceives its oil supply through apertures 21d communicating with anannular oil groove 21l on .the upper edge f the collar 21. The oil isfed -to the groove 21 when'the parts are in the position shown in Figs.-1 and 2, through apertures 1l1 inthe cylinder 1. To prevent thecylinder 20 pulling out of the cylinder l, lthe lower end of thecylinder l is threaded internally at 1 to receive a check ring 1k thatis held from unscrewing by a set screw 1m. To serve as a buffer shouldthe ring 21 engage the ring 1k, I provide a resilient washer 22 on theunder edge of the ring 21. y

The inner or piston cylinder 1b near its top has an aperture 1communicating with the chamber between the inner and outer cylinders,and the tubes ofthe two cylinders merge into one. Centrally the cylindertop is apertured at l and provided with a suitable means for attachingthe cylinder to the vehicle such for instance, as the screw threadedcollar- 1.' The' lower cylinder 20 has a similar screw threaded collar20b for similar purposes. provided withan aperture` 1x and a Avalvehousing 1 to receive the vacuum valve 2 that is provided withj a smallair aperture 2*. The valve housing 1/ has a closure cap 3 to hold thevalve 2j Within the housing The cylinder 1 has its end wall and the cap3 is provided with air passages 3, as shown.

The lower end of the 'cylinderlb is internally screw threaded as at 1dto receive the closure plug or head 11 which has an annular tapered rim1la to coperate with the ring 12 and the wedge shaped ring 13 for apurpose presently to be madeclear. The plug 11 has a central aperturedweb through which passes the stem 6. The stem 6 has a at washer head 6band a central aperture 6 and screws into a threaded socket ,5* in theclosure plugf for the open end of an auxiliary reservoir 4 that is heldwithin .the inner or piston cylinder 1b and out of contact with thewalls thereof. i 1

8 designates an annular metallic plate held on the stem fadjacent thehead 6', between which plate and head a rubber gasket l0 is held. Theouter end of th inner rubber tube 17 is also held between the washer- 8and head 6". The rubber tube 17 is secured in place by a check nut 9 onthe stem 6 that holds the washer 8 down against the head 6b. 'Themetalliewasher l5 and resilient washer 14 are placed between the nutportion-a of the plug and the web of the plug 11 while a centrallyapertured washer 7 is placed in the socket 5b between the end of thestem 6 and the socket wall. The plug 5has an aperture 5 to coperate withthe aperture 6*i of the stem 6. The outer tube 16 has its upper endsecured between rings 12 and 13 which are wedged in place to tightlyhold the tube 16 when the plug 5 is screwed onto the end of the stem 6.At the lower end, the cylinder 2,0 has@d seat to receive the cup shapedcentrally apertured screw member 11i which has a' beveled annular ringportion 11y similar to that o the member 11.. With this ring 11V, rings12x and 13x coperate to hold the lower end 'of the outer'tube 16 betweenthem.l

18 designates a valve stem within which the usual type of back checkvalve (not shown) as found on bicycle tire valves, is placed. The stem18 has a cenl tral aperture 18 normally closed at the outer end by ascrew cap 18d of the usual type. At its inner end the stem 18 has a fiathead 18u formed with a recess 18b to receive a resilient bumper 19. Thebumper 19 has an aperture 19 merging with the valve stem aperture.Between the head 18a and a metallic annular washer 8a is a rubber washer10iL and the lower edge of the inner tube 17 is also secured therebetween by a check nut 9n on the stem. A second nut 9b on the stem 18serves rto draw the member 11x toward the head 18n and cause the rings12X and 13X to tightly grip the tube 16.

1n practice, 1 prefer to make the inner flexible tube 17 of rubber andof a diameter approximately that of the annular rim 11y sol it can bestretched over the heads 61 and 18 when put in position. Likewise Iprefer tol make the outer tube 16 of about the same diameter as theheads 6b and 18. This outer tube 16, I also prefer to construct offlexible expansible fabric covered on its inner face with rubber so thatits diameter can be expanded when air is forced into the inner tube 17,which forms the main air reservoir, and into the auxiliary reservoir 4.1 also prefer to make the relative diameters ofthe inner cylinder 1b andthe cylinder 2O such, that when the parts are in the position shown inFig. 3, a slight clearance space 25, just suicient to prevent rubbing ofthe adjacent surfaces of the rubber tube 17 is provided. On the outersurfaces ofthe cylinder 20, I place suitable graduations 26 to indicatethe relative position of the telescoping cylinders. The innercylinder 1band its lower closure plug 11 form va piston as will be clearlyunderstood from the drawings.

So far as described, theV manner in which my invention operates, can bebest explained as followsz-Assume the parts to be in the position shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the chamber Within the inner tube 17 as well as theauxiliary reservoir 4 being filled with air under suitable compression.As soon as the apparatus is attached to the vehicle, the weight of thevehiclebody (say, when attached to an automobile) will force thetelescoping members into the position shown say in Fig. 3,

the amount of air compression within the apparatus being arranged sothat in the normal position of the parts, the sections will betelescoped, say until the graduation No. 3 is covered by the outercylinder.

This will allor' for any rebound and should an extraordinary vibrationtake place, that will throw the cylinders completely telescoped withinone another the bumper 19 and the air cushion will take up the shock onthe telescoping movement of the cylinders inward, and the partial vacuumproduced in the chamber between the outer and inner cylinders 1-1 on therebound will serve to compensate therefor. As the cylinders telescopeinwardly, the air from the chamber between the cylinders 1-1" will passthrough the aperture 1g in the inner wall 1b and out through thc vacuumvalve 2 as it leaves its seat. As the cylinders telescope outwardly fromone another a partial vacuum will be produced between the cylinders l-l"which gradually reduces to atmospheric pressure through the medium ofthe air that passes in through the small aperture 2. in the valve body,the diameter of the aperture, in practice, will be so constructed as toeffect the desired results. By using the auxiliary reservoir a greatervolume of air is obtained and'hencc the range of operation is greatlyincreased as the elasticity of the air column is also increased.

It will be noticed that the collar 21 is screwed down below the upperedge of the cylinder 20 to leave a projecting portion' which forms aguard and prevents the oil when fed to the groove 2l.c through theaperture 1h from running over and running down onto the fabric of theouter tube 16. v The graduations 26 on the cylinder 20 serve to indicatehow much of the movement of the telescoping cylinders has been taken upby the load carried and such position can be easily varied by anincrease or decrease of air pressure within the apparatus.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings it is thought the cemplete construction, operationand numerous advantages .of my invention will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art to which it appertains and l desire itunderstood that many slight changes may be made without departing fromthe scope of the invention or that of the appended claims.

What I claim, is'.-

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pairof telescoping tubular members each closed at one end, of :i flexibleelastic tube connected to the open end of the inner' telescopic memberand tbc closed end of the outer' telescoping member, und :l flexiblerubber lined fabric tube likewise connected to said ielescopim,V membersand surrounding the first mentioned flexible tube, and means `for'admitting compressed air into said lll-st mentioned exible tube,substantially as shown und described.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, tbc eombination with a `pairof teleseoping tubular members euch closed at one end, of u flexibleelastic tube connected to the open end of the inner telescopic memberand the closed end of the outertelescopng member, and a flexible rubberlined fabric tube likewise connected to said teleseoping members andsurrounding the first mentioned tube, means for admitting compressed airinto said first mentioned flexible tube. and an auxiliary reservoircarried by one of said teiescopingr members and in communication willithe interior of the first mentioned flexible tube.

An apparatus of the class described, comprising the combination with apair of telescoping cylinders, a hollow cylindrical piston formed withinone of said cylinders io project into the other telescopic cylinder.packing devices between the telescoping cylinders, ,a resilient airreservoir within one of said telescoping 4cylinders und having its endsconnected with said cylinder and said piston, means for admittingcompressed air into said resilient reservoir,and

anauxillary reservoir within said piston in communica-- 4. .an-apparatusoi the class described, comprising the combination with a pair oftelescoping cylinders, a hollow cylindrical piston formed within one ofsaid cylinders to project into the other telescopic cylinder, packingdevices between the telescoping cylinders, a resilient air reservoirwithin one ot said telescoping cylinders and having its endslconnectedwltb saidcylinder and said piston, means for admittingcompressed air into said resilient reservoir, said piston having anaperture in its wall and avacuum valve mechanism secured to said pistoncarrying cylinder and in communication with the interior of the piston,substantially as shown and described.

in un apparatus of the class described, the combinatlon,witli a pairci?l telescoping cylinders and means for forming nn nir cushionbetweenthem, of a ring carried by the inner telescoping cylinder, saidring having packing receiving grooves, a packing in one of said groovesand anl absorbent wick in the other groove, said ring. having an oilreceiving `groove in its upper edge and apertures communicating betweenthe oil receiving groove and the ab sorbent vwick packing grooves,oiling apertures within the Aouter cylindrical member, and a stop ringin the outer" cylindrical member, substantially as shown 'and described;

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pairof telescoping cylinders, means for' forming anair cushion between them,of a ring carried by the inner telescoping cylinder, said ring havingpacking receiving grooves, a packing inone of said grooves and anabsorbent wick in the other groove, said ring having an oil receivinggroove in its outer edge and apertures ycommunicating between the oilreceiving groove and the absorbent wick packing groove, oiling apertureswithin the outer cylindrical member, a stop ring in the outercylindrical member, and a resllientwasher carried by the innercylindrical member forvcoperating with said stop ring, substantially asshown and described,

7. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a pair of upper andlower telescoping cylinders, a ringse cured to the inner telescopingcylinder near its upper end, separate packing and lubricating devicescarried by said ring for engaging theinner walisof the upper cylindricalmember, a stop ring carried by the upper cylindrical member at its loweredge, a hollow cylindrical 'piston carried by the upper cylindricalmember and projecting into the' walls of the upper cylindrical member, astop ring carried by the upper cylindrical member at its lower edge, ahollow cylindrical piston carried by the upper cylindrical member andprojecting into the lower cylindrical member and spaced therefrom, anair retaining resilient tubular member secured at one end to said pistonand at the other end to said lower telescoping member to form an airreservoir, means for admitting air into said reservoir, said pistonhaving an aperture in its wall communicating with the space between thepiston and the piston carrying telescoping cylinder, and a vacuum valvecommunicating with the atmosphere and the interior of the piston,substantially as shown and described.

9.4 An apparatus of the class described, comprising an outer telescopingcylinderclosed at one end, a hollow piston carried within said cylinderand in communication with the interior of the cylinder, a vacuum valvein said cylinder communicating with the atmosphere and the interior ofthe piston, a second telescoping cylinder telescoping within said rstmentioned cylinder between the cylinder wall and the piston, a guidering carried by the second telescoping cylinder, packing devices betweenthe guide ring and the rst mentioned telescoping cylinder, a ilexibleair tube conhected at one end to said piston, and

'a valve connected to the other end of saidiiexible ail-,tube andprojecting through the outer end ot the second tele-A scoping. cylinder,for admitting air into the air stantially as shown and described. g

10. An apparatus of the class described, comprising an outer telescopingcylinder closed at one end, a hollow pis ton carried within saidcylinder and in communication with the interior of the cylinder, avacuum valve in said cylinder communicating with the atmosphere and theinterior of said piston a second telescoping cylinder telescoping withinsaid first mentioned .cylinder between the cylinder wall and the piston,a guide rlngcarrled by the second telescoping cylinder, packing devicesbetween the guide ring and the iirst mentioned telescoping cylinder, ailexible air tube connected at one end to said piston, a valve connectedto the other end oi said flexible air tube and projecting through theouter end of the second telescoping cylinder, for admitting air into theair tube, and an auxiliary reservoir within said piston andcommunicating with said air tube, substantially as shown and described.

11. An apparatus of the class described, comprising an outer telescopingcylinder closed at one end, a hollow piston carried within said cylinderand in communication with the interior of the cylinder, a vacuum valvein said tube, subcylinder communicating with the atmosphere and the. in-

terior of the piston, a second telescoping Acylinder telescopingwithinsaid rst mentioned cylinder between the cylinder wall and the piston, aguide ring carried b v the second telescoping cylinder, packing devicesbetween the guide ring and the iirst mentioned telescopic cylinder, aiie/xible air tube connected at one end to said piston, and a valveconnected to the other end of said flexible air tube and projectingthrough the outer end of the second telescoping cylinder, for admittingair into the air tube, said air tube comprising an inner rubber casingand an outer casing of expansible fabric substantially as shown anddescribed.

12. An apparatus oi' the class described, comprising an outertelescoping cylinder closed at one end, a hollow piston carried withinsaid cylinder and in communication with the interior of the cylinder, avacuum valve in said cylinder communicating with the atmosphere andtheinterior of said'piston, a second telescoping cylinder telescopingwi'thin said first mentioned cylinder between the cylinder wall and thepiston, a guide ring carried by the second telescoping cylinder, packingdevices between the guide ring and the drst mentioned telescopingcylinder, a flexible air tube connected at one end to said piston avalve connected to 'the other end of said ilexible air tube andprojecting through the outer end of the second telescoping cylinder, foradmitting air into the air tube, an auxiliary reservoir within saidpiston and communicating with said air tube, said air tube comprising aninner rubber casing and an outer casing of expansible fabric,substantially as shown and described.

13. The combination with a pair of telescoping cylinders closed at theirouter ends, of a piston carried by one of said cylinders and projectinginto the other cylinder, a

vrubber air tube connected to the end of said piston and projecting intothe othercylinder, an air admitting valve mechanismsecured to the otherend of said air tube and projecting through the outer end of saidother`cylinder,

and a resilient bumper carried by said valve mechanism.

for coperating with said piston at times.

14. The combination with a pair ot telescoping cylinders, of an innerflexible air tube within one of said cylinders, a piston carried by theother cylinder for projecting into the air tube carrying cylinder, aclosure member for the end of said piston having an annular seat, a pairof annular rings held on said seat, an outer expansible tube loosurrounding said inner ilexible tube and held with one end betweensaidpair of rings, a headed stem passing through said piston end closuremember, a washer on said stem, for securing one end of the inner tubebetween the washer and the stem, a nut on the stem for holding thewasher in place, and means for'drawing the stem against the piston endclosure member to hold the end of the outer tu ular member clamped, anda valve mechanism similarly connected to the other end of said flexibletubu- 'Iar members, substantially as shown and described.

15. The combination with an outer cylindrical member and an innercylindricalr piston carried by said outer grooves, means for admittingoil to one of said packing grooves, a stop ring carried by the firstmentioned cylindrical member at its open end, an inner and outerilexible tube held within said second telescoping member, an iniiatingvalve connected with said inner and outer ilexible tubes at one endand'projecting through the end of said second telescoping member, meansfor connecting the other end of said inner and outer tubes to saidpiston, all being arranged substantially as shown and described. 16. Thecombination with an outer cylindrical member and an inner cylindricalpiston carried by said outer cylin drical member and spaced from theinner walls thereof, said piston having an aperture communicating withthe interior of the outer cylindrical member, a vacuum valvecommunieating with the atmosphere and the interior of the piston, asecond telescoping member telescopically projected into the outertelescoping member between it and the piston and spaced from the Wallsof each, a ring carried by the second telescoping member, said ringhaving packing grooves, packing held between said grooves, means for ad-"mitting oil to one of said packing grooves, a stop ring carried by thefirst mentioned cylindrical member at its open end, and inner and outeriiexible tubes held within said second telescoping member, aniniiating'valve connected with said inner and outer-flexible tubes atone end and projecting through the end of said second telescopingmember, means for connecting the other end of said inner and outer tubesto said piston, and an auxiliary air reservoir held Within said pistonand communicating with said dexible tubes, substantially as shown anddescribed.

drical member and spaced from the inner walls thereof,

said piston having an aperture communicating with thev interior of theouter cylindrical member, a vacuum valve communicating with theatmosphere and the interior of the piston, a second telescoping membertelescopicaliy projected into the outer telescoping member between itand the piston and spaced from the Walls of each, a ring curried by thesecond telescoping member, said ring having packing grooves, packingheld in said grooves, means for admitting oil to one of said packinggrooves, astop ring carried by the first mentioned cylindrical member atits open end, and inner and outer tubes held within said secondtelescoping member, an iniiatlng valve connected with said inner andouter flexible tubes at one end and projecting through the end of saidsecond telescoping member, means for connecting the other end of saidinner and outer tubes to said piston, an auxiliary air reservoir heldwithin said piston and communicating with said flexible tubes, andgraduations on the outer surfaces of said second tclescoping member forcoperating with the first telescoping member to indicate the relativeposition of said telescoping members, substantially as shown anddescribed.

18. The -combination with un outer cylindrical member and an innercylindrical piston carried by said outer cylindrical member and spacedfrom the inner walls thereof, said piston having an aperture,communicating with the interior of the outer cylindrical member, avacuum valve communicating with the atmosphere and the interior of thepiston, a second telescoplng member telescopically projected into theouter telescoping member between it and the piston and spaced from thewalls of each, a ring carried by the second telcscoping member, saidring having packing grooves, packing held between said grooves, means fradmitting oil to one ot" said packing grooves, n stop ring carried bythe rst mentioned cylindrical member at its open end, and inner andouter flexible tubes heid within said second tellscoping member, aniniiating vulve connected with said inner and outer flexible tubes :itone end andprojecting through the end of said telescoping member, meansfor connecting the other end of said inner and outer tubes to saidpiston, an auxiliary air reservoir held wiihin said piston andcommunicating with said flexible tubes, and a resilient bumper carriedby said air admitting valve for coperating vyith said piston at times.

' JAMES H. CLARK,

Witnesses:

GANNON H. FLEMING, WILLI/tir Waan.

